Barrel-clamp for followers.



J. T;. 00mm. max-1 CL AMP run FIOLLOWERSV APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1917- v Patented Dec. 4 -1917.

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BARREL-CLAMP FOR FOLLOWEIt-S.

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Application. filed January 5 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. DORAN, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of West New York, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Barrel-Clamp for Followers, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to clamping devicesfor holding the contents of barrels, casks, vats or any form of tank under the brine or liquor to prevent spoilage,-and particularly to an improved device adapted to be used in connection with the followers in receptacles containing sauerkraut, pickles, corn beef or anything requiring a covering brine or liquor.

The object in view is to provide an improved 7 simple construction of clamping member for holding the follower of a pickle or sauerkraut receptacle in proper position while only pressing gently against the contents for causing the contents to remain submerged.

Another object in .view is to provide a clamping device made completely of wood and arranged to grip the barrel at any desired point for limiting the upward movement of .the barrel. follower.

A still further object is to provide an all wood clamping member formed so as to be used in connection with different sized barrels by rearrangement of the clamping parts.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a barrel of sauerkraut showing a clamping member embodying the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a clamp embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the clamp shown in Fig. 2, the parts being shown in a partially clamped position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 2 on line 4-4, the same being on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates a barrel or tank of any kind which is designed to receive sauerkraut, pickles or similar matter which must be covered by liquor 2 in order to be properly preserved. The sauerkraut 3 or other matter contained in the barrel 1 is held submerged by the cover 4, which in turn is held in place by the clamping member 5. In properly preserving sauerkraut and pickles of difi'erent kinds it is necessary that the specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 191?.

,1917. Serial No. 140,719.

liquor used in connection therewith shall continuously cover the contents. Also, in order to properly preserve the contents the wood must be of a particular kind both in regard to the tank and the cover, as the liquor will act as a chemical in respect to metals, stone and other material. The usual wood used in tanks of this kind and covers, as shown in Fig. 1, is oak. Heretofore in order to keep the cover 4 submerged smaller barrels were placed thereon or weights of different kinds, but in case the weight was not oak or some other wood not objectionable the liquor 2 would act thereon and thereby cause the sauerkraut or pickles to become unfit for food. The clamp 5 is designed to be made from oak or other wood which will not produce an injurious effect on the liquor 2 nor cause the liquor to have a bad taste. IVhen a weight is used in connection with pickles the same must bewnecessarily regulated or the pickles will become crushed, and when left in the liquor after having been crushed will become worthless as an article of food. The clamp 5 is arranged to grip the sides of the barrel or tank 1 and limit the upward movement of the cover 4 without causing any pressure 011 the contents 3 so that the clamp may be used equally well with sauerkraut and pickles of diiferent kinds, as there will be no pressure on the pickles.

As shown particularly in Figs. 2 to 4, the clamp 5 is provided with a body 6 having a wedge-shaped end 7 for pinching into the barrel 1 when the clamp is in position. The body 6 is provided with a plurality of notches 8 arranged at a slant or incline so as to produce overhanging edges 9 for preventing the pin 10 from moving out of the notches when arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The body 6 is provided with a slot 11 extending from one end to near the opposite end, the open end being closed by a bracing block 12 held in place by wooden pins 13. An adjustable clamping section 14 coacts with the body 6, said section being provided with a sharpened end 15 for pinching against barrel 1 and with a neck 16 fitting into slot 11. The neck 16 is provided with a series of apertures 17 spaced the same distance apart as the notches 8 so that when the pin 10 connected with the neck 16 is in one of the notches 8 one of the apertures 17 is opposite the sliding pin 18. The sliding pin 18 (Fig. 4) is provided with an operating handle 19 and with a slot 20, which slot is provided for accommodating the end of a limiting pin 21, whereby the pin 18 is 11mited in its back and forth movement and is also prevented from rotation though a 1'0- tary movement would not ordinarily be objectionable.

When it is desired to apply the device the cover 4 is forced beneath the upper surface of the liquor a desired extent and then the clamp arrai'iged as shown in Fig. 3, after which the end carrying the bracing bar 18 is pressed downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 and pin 18 thrust into one of the apertures 17. By reason of the overhanging section 9 and the use of pin 18 neck 16 is locked in position and the complete clamp is prevented from either an upward or downward movement so that the cover 4: is locked in a given position and does not eX- ert a continuous pressure against the contents 3 though holding the contents below the surface of the liquor 2. It will be noted that pin and also pins 18 and 21, as well as the dowel pins 13 are made from wood, preferably the same kind of wood as body 6 and section 1%, whereby there will be no metal or other objectionable parts coming in contact with the liquor 2.

What I claim is: 1, A clamp of the character described,

7 comprising a body provided with a plural ity of notches extending at an angle whereby overhanging sections will be produced, a clamping member associated with said body, a pin extending through part of said clamping member and fitting into said notches, said overhanging members preventing the (lopies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner pin from moving out of the notches, and a locking pin for holding the clamping mem- 1 her against longitudinal movement.

2. A clamp for sauerkraut and pickle barrels, comprising a body having a slot extending from one end thereof to near the opposite end, a bracing bar connected to the open end of said body, said body having mating notches on each side of said slot, said notches being formed with overhanging shoulders, a clamping member having a pinching end and a neck extending into said slot, a pin extending through said neck and engaging one of said notches, and a locking pin arranged in said body and adapted to extend into one of the apertures in said neck for locking the neck against longitudinal movement whereby the pin carried by the neck cannot move pivotally past said shoulders.

8. A clamp for pickle and sauerkraut barrels comprising a pair of clamping members, one of said members being formed with a plurality of apertures and a pin at one end, while the other of said clamping members is formed with a slot extending from near one end to near the opposite end, a notch having overhanging shoulders on each side of the slot for receiving said pin whereby the pin cannot move directly upwardly, and a sliding pin permanently secured to said last mentioned clamping member positioned so as to engage one of the apertures in the first mentioned clamping member, when the clamping members are brought into alinement whereby said clamping members are locked together.

JAMES THOMAS DORAN.

of 'Patents,

Washington, G. 

